Mattress



1,647,222 L. M. GILLETTE MATTRESS Filed Oct.20. 1926 Patented Nov. 1, 192,7.

UNITED ,sTATEs LUCY M. GILLETTE, OF MILFORD, CONNECTICUT.

MATTRESS.

Application led October 20, 1926. Serial No. 142,933.

This invention relates to a` mattress intended chiefly for the sick, infirm and those confined to bed with fever andl other ailments which, from a humanitarian viewpoint, adds to the comfort of thebedridden patient by supplying a mattress which is l cooling, soft and sanitary.

-to the following description and the drawings hereto attached in which corresponding and like parts are designated in the several views of the drawings' and referred to inthe following description by like reference characters.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a mat-4` a portion of tress embodying the invention,

to. show the the cover being broken away filling.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the filling confined by binders in the form of a mat.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional the mattress on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

In general appearance, the mattress is not unlike the(` commercial article since it embodies a fibrous filling and a covering which is tufted to maintain the shape and hold the parts in relative position. The filling consists of Spanish moss which exists in quantity in the Atlantic lowlands of the United States and the Gulf States, and which, by reason of its characteristic properties is admirably adapted to the manufacture of mattresses because of its lightness,'threadlike structure, and iie'xuous and wiry nature, the filaments being long and hair-like in structure. The .filling'is formed into a mat, as shown most clearly in Figure 2, and held in place by longitudinal binders 1 andtransverse binders 2. These binders encompass -the mat and usuallyconsist of tapes or webs which are connected at their ends by separable fastenings 3 or in any preferred way. The binders are also connected at their oints Aof crossing, as indicated at 4.

The spanish moss, after being gathered, is

view of y cleaned, sterilized and sorted, the lighter and liner grade forming the outer layers and the` coarser grade the inner or center layer, as indicated most clearly in Figures 1 and 3. It should be noted that the coarser grade of moss from which the inner or center layer is formed closely resemblesv horsehair and, therefore, will constitute a very ood filling for the mattress and will not be Iiable to be packed into a compact mass. Therefore, air will be'allowed to circulate through the mattress. The numeral 5 designates the center layer and the numeral 6 the outer layers which insure a soft and comfortable mattress for .the atient or other occupant of the mattress. he numeral 7 designates the covering which, when applied to the filling, is tufted in the usual manner to prevent the parts froinchanging position and to hold them in place to preserve, as far as practi cable, the predetermined shape of the mattress.

v Spanish moss exists in profusion in thev Atlantic lowlands of the United States and in the Gulf States and so far as is known,

has not been used as a filling inthe construction of mattresses and by reason of its yphysical` characteristics it is an-'admirablen substitute for hair at a nominal cost.` An infected or unclean mattress havinga filling of Spanish moss may be burned or otherwise disposed of without entailing any very great expense and from ahumanitarian viewpoint' 1t is a .boon to the suffering and afiiicted because of the vcomfort experienced and the sanitaryand cooling qualities possessed. It is observed that opposite portions of .the respective binders are connected by means ofth(` threads 8' whichl join the tufts 9 upon opposite sides of the mattress. result, the covering 7 is materially strengthened, and reinforced and the mattress enabled to withstand hard usage without injury to the covering. The wiry and hair-like nature of the filaments, particularly the selected materialof the outer layer, results in some of the filaments penetrating the covering. This is guarded against by the provision of a sheet 10 which is interposed between the covering and the mat. This sheet is speciallyv prepared and selected to resist the penetration of the filaments and is interposed between the longitudinal and transverse binders, be-

Asa

employed vfor connecting the binders at their lpomt's of crossing. This' protective sheet also adds to the strength of 'the mattress covering and assists in preventing rips or tears in said covering and exposing the fillprotective sheet disposed between the'loning the binders at their points of crossing,

gitudinaland the transverse binders and re# tained in place by fastening means connectthe invention,`what4 and a covering enclosing the tufted thereto, the threads connecting the tuftspassing through the protective sheet and the inders. A v v 2. A mattress'having a filling, longitudinal andv transverse binders 'extending about the filling, va. 'protective sheet disposed be- .tween the longitudinal and the transverse .i

binders,l fastening vmeans connecting the binders at their points ofy crossing andy passed lthrough said sheet to'v retain. the place, and a covering enclosing the sheet in lling.

ture.

LUCY M. GILLIIB'IYTE, [n 5.]

In testimony whereof I. aiiiiic inysigna-` 3Q 

